Developing an Organizational Model and
Technical Implementation Plan for Wireless
Mesh Networks in Sao Tome and Principe, West
Africa
Ritzo, Christopher J
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Topics: Community techologies and networking, Information infrastructure
development, Information technology and services for under-addressed
communities
Keywords: wireless mesh networks, community informatics, digital divide,
information society, Sao Tome and Principe
Developing an Organizational Model and Technical Implementation Plan for Wireless
Mesh Networks in Sao Tome and Principe, West Africa
Community wireless networking initiatives have been envisioned and implemented with
varying success both in the US and abroad. There are a variety of organizational models
that municipalities, community organizations, individuals, businesses, corporations and
grassroots movements are using to build, plan and implement wireless community
networks. In developing countries the organizational, economic and technical challenges
are even greater. Terrain, power requirements, and other technical challenges are
secondary to the organizational challenges, community impact and social implications
that such a technology infusion can bring. These needs present a great opportunity for
Universities to complete research, help communities bridge the digital divide, and
become part of the information society.
Prairienet, a Community Informatics focused organization within the Graduate School of
Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, has been partnering on action research projects with organizations and
people in communities such as East St. Louis, IL and Paseo Boricua, Chicago for a many
years. This has provided graduate students in Library and Information Science with
opportunities to learn valuable technical and organizational skills, while assisting
community groups achieving their community goals.
Prairienet is now beginning to extend this model internationally through partnerships
begun through former GSLIS graduate, Jorge Coelho of Sao Tome and Principe. Initial
discussions on community goals with Sao Tomean community members and groups over
the past two years have developed into several projects carried out by both GSLIS
graduate students and those from the Architecture and Urban Planning schools. These
early projects have benefited both Sao Tomean communities and the students engaged
with the community members completing them.
An early expressed goal of Jorge and other community members has been the desire to
link locations with Internet access such as schools and libraries with community centers
in nearby plantation towns in the mountains. Initial surveying of two possible sites and
partial testing of open source mesh network hardware and software took place as a small
part of Prairienet's summer 2007 trip. In response to the lessons learned from this testing,
GSLIS student Chris Ritzo has begun work investigating the different organizational
models being used in community wireless network initiatives, continued testing opensource mesh networking technologies in use or in development in the U.S. or
internationally and comparing those models and technologies to organizational and
personal contacts of the GSLIS/Prairienet Community Informatics initiative in Sao Tome,
West Africa. This research will result in a paper detailing possible organizational and
technical models for deployment of wireless mesh networks in Sao Tome and Principe.
This might then be used by Sao Tomean community members and organizations in
partnership with the University of Illinois/GSLIS groups to make that goal a reality, or as
a starting point for further discussion and modification.
This poster session will detail the work completed thus far, discussing possible
organizational and technical models that could be used to implement wireless networking
initiatives in Sao Tome and Principe.